To Be True To Myself
by CrAcKeRs oN CrAcK
Summary: Rauru, Sage of Light, receives quite an odd visit in the Sacred Realm.


The Sacred Realm, once the resting place of the Triforce, thrummed with the holy energy of light. Bathed in a golden, sacred hue, silence prevailed throughout the ancient land, separate from the mainland that was Hyrule. Now that the relic of the Gods was split between its chosen bearers, the Sacred Realm simply housed the Temple of Light which was left relatively at peace. There was nothing left of interest here for the beings of the mortal plane.

That was what Rauru, Sage of Light and guardian of the Temple of Light had initially thought. When the cursed relic of the Gods had resided within the walls of his ward, he had watched many greedy men and women fail in vain as they tried to breach the defenses of the realm and the temple to reach their ultimate prize. Their deaths had been short and violent, their lives meaningless and forgotten with the passage of time. Rauru suspected that perhaps, even in life, such pursuers were preferably put aside by those who had known them. The yearning and eagerness that came with the desire for such power usually left a person with an unfavourable character, one that most would rather disassociate themselves with in favour of a mundane and routine-driven life.

Only one man had succeeded. The memories of that faithful day, which had happened eons ago, were seared into the Sage of Light's mind. He could recall the events that had transpired as if they had only occurred yesterday, the smug look upon the Gerudo thief's face as he seized the golden triangles with bloodied hands. His moment of triumph, however, had been quickly overshadowed when the Triforce had split into three. The destruction and wrath he had left in his path upon the discovery of such a farce, fueled by the Triforce of Power, was best left forgotten. It was only later on that the Sage of Light had learned that Ganondorf had not reached the relic by chance, but that he had been led there by the hand of fate. The Gerudo King, who soon became known as the Demon King, housed the power of an ancient evil within his very soul, and had merely taken what had been his right as did the hero and the princess of destiny.

Rauru was positive that he would never see the scourge of Hyrule again, being confined to his duties as guardian of the Temple of Light. The Demon King had no business of interest left here.

For this reason, the Sage of Light stood at the door of his temple, sweat gathering at his brow as he felt a great darkness slowly approaching. There was no mistaking to whom that particular signature of black magic belonged to. Old, weary eyes slightly widened as they fell upon a tall, dark Gerudo man, clad in war armour, his red hair long and blazing like fire, as he walked towards the Temple of Light. Rauru felt confusion creep into his mind as he observed the Demon King, his posture rather relaxed as if he were strolling in a garden on a lazy afternoon. The last time he had come, the Gerudo approached with purpose, magic blazing in his hands as he made a show of his power.

Just what was Ganondorf thinking?

The Gerudo finally came to a stop at the base of the staircase, his smoldering eyes staring at the first step for a moment as if contemplating whether he should begin to climb them or not. The sage raised his hand, a ball of pure energy forming within his palm as he prepared to defend his temple from whatever convoluted plan the Gerudo had in mind. Sensing the rippling effect of the light magic in the air, the Demon King lifted his head up in a lazy fashion, his eyes finally settling on the face of the elderly sage. A small smirk crossed his face, a chuckle escaping his lips as he raised his hand.

"Peace, Sage of Light."

Rauru did not expect such a casual and non-aggressive response, his tongue trying to grab at appropriate words to address the Demon King as the magic in his palm sputtered and died. As the Gerudo watched him, an amused look on his face, the Sage of Light straightened himself out, clasping his hands behind his back as he inhaled a deep breath. Fixating the Demon King with a stoic expression, the sage wet his lips, allowing himself a moment before he spoke.

"Considering your title, and the many transgressions attached to your name, I hope you do understand that I have every reason to be wary of you, Ganondorf."

His hand on his chin, the Gerudo mulled over Rauru's words for a moment before a smirk crossed his lips. "Surely, Sage of Light, I would expect nothing less. After all," Ganondorf spread his arms, his grin growing wider as he continued, "you did witness my power and ruthlessness firsthand. If I had come with the intention of bringing harm upon this place, your resistance would have been absolutely futile."

Frowning, Rauru opted to cross his arms, his gaze trained on the Demon King at the foot of the Temple. Having lived and seen the cycles and reincarnations through which the three bearers of the ancient relic had gone through, the sage was acutely aware of just how much more powerful the Gerudo was now compared to the first time they had met. He knew he would most probably fail in trying to defend himself against the dark magic that the desert man wielded. Nevertheless, the sage would not allow himself to be cowed by the Demon King.

"Enough with the games, Demon King. What is your reason for coming here?"

The sage watched a frown appear on the Gerudo's weathered face, his forehead creasing as though he was wondering the same thing. Crossing his massive arms over his chest, he shut his eyes for a moment, his face set in a pensive state as he mulled over his reasons for taking the effort to come here. Rauru was perplexed with the Demon King's odd behaviour; any place on which the Gerudo thief set foot upon would generally be wrought with destruction and despair. To see such a terrifying man idle with no outward intentions of malice was certainly a rare sight. A couple of moments had passed before Ganondorf dropped his arms, a heavy sigh escaping him as his shoulders heaved. He chose to sit down on the steps before him, his hands resting on the step behind him. His blazing eyes of amber turned towards the sky, bathed in a golden hue, his irises betraying his state of contemplation.

"Tell me, Sage of Light," he paused, inhaling deeply, "what do you know of Demise?"

Rauru was startled with the Gerudo's inquiry. Having lived for as long as the Temple of Light stood within the Sacred Realm, the sage was very well acquainted with the history of Hyrule. He knew well of the battle that had raged between Hylia and Demise, and had watched as these two souls had manifested themselves within mortal beings, forever reborn over and over again into a struggle that consistently left behind a trail of blood and death. It was only after Ganondorf had successfully ceased the Triforce that Rauru had realized that the Gerudo King was fulfilling the role that Demise had played eons ago, while Hylia had revealed herself to be housed within the Hylian princess much earlier. Given that the Gerudo did not die and reincarnate as frequently as the hero and the princess did, it came as a surprise that the Demon King seemed unsure as to who Demise was.

"I know much of him, Demon King." The sage paused, his eyes on the back of the Gerudo as the demon remained fixated on the sky, "My question is, why would you inquire on the matter? Surely, you are aware of your connection to the ancient demon."

Ganondorf suddenly stood, hands clenched at his sides. He partly turned around, eyes staring up at the Sage of Light, the gold within them smoldering in rage. Rauru, however, did not miss the hint of confusion buried within its depths.

"I know that I am carrying on his…..supposed legacy sage." The anger somewhat subsided from his face, replaced by his previous contemplative state.

"I am asking…what happened to him, I suppose."

Irritation crossed the Gerudo's face as the sage became even more perplexed with his inquiries. Noticing the deteriorating mood of the Demon King, Rauru decided he would break this odd interaction the two of them were having as they skirted around the real questions they had for each other.

"Ganondorf, do you mean to say that you are unsure of your relationship to Demise?" the sage inquired, taking a bold stance. "You certainly do carry out your destructive plans in a very similar manner to the demon of old." Rauru allowed a small sigh of relief to escape his lips when he saw the Demon King relax, though his eyes did narrow somewhat.

"I came here to seek answers sage," the Gerudo began somewhat suddenly, "because…"

Rauru found himself instinctively taking a step back as the Demon King slowly made his way up the staircase, his eyes blazing with purpose. His tongue licked his lips, his face clearly showing that whatever the Gerudo would say next, he would not repeat again. Still wary of the man in front him, the sage opened his ears for whatever Ganondorf wished to say.

"You may know me as the scourge of Hyrule. Your people may accuse me of causing meaningless destruction, and perhaps I do lose myself in leaving Hyrule in ruins at times…"

The Gerudo came to a stop as he reached the top of the Temple, his large form casting a shadow across the stone ground as he kept his distance from the Sage of Light. His gaze rested on Rauru's face, gauging if the sage was truly hearing everything he had to say. Clearly, this was a matter of importance to for the demon thief.

"….However, I like to think that whatever I do, I do it of my own free will, not because of some petty argument between two long dead gods."

Rauru stayed silent as Ganondorf's gaze returned to the golden sky above him, its hue reflecting off his amber orbs and leaving them shining as if they were real topaz gems. The sage could see a certain sorrow buried deep in its depths as the man sighed wearily.

"As the hero and princess have suffered, I too have suffered greatly upon the path I have chosen. In many ways, I have endured more loss than perhaps anyone on this mortal plane." Shutting his eyes, the Gerudo chewed on his lip, "However, I also know that one must endure great adversity to achieve their goals, and I have no qualms in continuing upon this trail I have blazed seeking to accomplish them regardless of what may come my way." His amber orbs snapped open, eyes smoldering as they set themselves upon the ancient sage's elderly face. Resolute, the Gerudo's lips were set in a firm line, determination adorning his features.

"If I must bear affliction in pursuing this path, I shall do so, but only if it is truly **MY** desire. This is why I am here sage….I am here to find out if I am Demise's reincarnation or a mere vessel carrying his hatred." Saying this, the Gerudo's gaze fell upon the entrance to the Temple of Light. Following his stare, the sage also looked into the Temple's entrance. Rauru's eyes suddenly widened, his jaw somewhat hanging loose as realization dawned upon him.

"You came here….to spiritually cleanse yourself?" The sage asked incredulously.

Ganondorf's gaze returned to Rauru's face, their depths receding into a cool pool of gold. His face resolute, he gave him an affirmative nod, "The ancient demon that is said to drive my actions must have suffered quite an unfortunate turn of events the final time he had faced the hero, thus making any retrieval of his memory quite a hassle despite my connection to him. So….I cannot determine in what manner I am linked to Demise." The Gerudo stepped forward until he was a mere arm's span away from the sage, "This is the only way I will be certain."

The Demon King towering over the sage, Rauru could not help but look up at him, his elderly face betraying a mixture of confusion and bewilderment. A frown set deeply on his features as he glared at the Gerudo before him. "You do realize that a spiritual cleansing is only meant for mortal beings afflicted by evil spirits. Mortal beings, if I may add, that are truly willing to relieve themselves of any darkness that is afflicting them. If you are truly Demise's incarnation, it will utterly destroy you since a demon is purely made of darkness."

An amused smirk crossed the Demon King's lips, a low chuckle escaping him. "Should it not please you that I am willingly undertaking a ritual that can potentially rid Hyrule of my presence permanently? It almost seems like you actually care for my wellbeing."

It was the sage's turn to laugh in response, "Hardly, Demon King. Had this cleansing ritual worked on individuals that were unwilling, you would have been made a priority in being purged of the darkness that is contained within you." Rauru turned towards the Temple, hands clasped behind his back, "I am just skeptical of your motives. In either case, all the dark magic you have mastered will be completely purified. You will literally restart with nothing."

Ganondorf moved, opting to stand near the sage. Rauru jumped slightly as a large, armour-clad hand clasped his shoulder. The sage could not help but look to the arm, then up to the Demon King as he too looked towards the entrance of the Temple of Light.

"I am quite familiar with having to start with bare bones sage," the Gerudo said quietly. Taking a deep breath, his eyes fluttered shut as he continued, "However, I must ascertain myself. If I am truly Demise's reincarnation, then I will disappear knowing that I had always strived towards my true goal, that I had always lived true to myself." His eyes opened once more as he returned his gaze to the Temple entrance, his face set in a determined expression. "In the event that I am merely carrying his hatred…I would rather be free, following the desires which I wish to pursue."

"Putting everything on the line, all the destruction you've wrought, all the defeats you have suffered, all the skills you have mastered….is worth it? Just to know if you are following your own whim?" Rauru inquired incredulously.

The Demon King turned to look down at the sage. Rauru felt as if his intense stare would nearly penetrate his mind, yet he did not turn away.

"Yes. Above all else, I am a self-serving man."

The Sage of Light held his gaze for a moment, a final search within golden irises to detect if this demon was truly sincere or if he had some convoluted plan up his sleeve. Surprisingly, the elderly sage could not find any hint of malice within the Gerudo. Ganondorf had either mastered the art of deception, or was actually being truthful. Rauru was absolutely certain that the Demon King had no other interests within this realm, yet it was still difficult to shake off the unease that the man brought with his mere presence.

On the other hand, this was truly the moment that may rid this mortal plane of the plague that was the Demon King. It was a chance that was worth taking.

"Very well Ganondorf," Rauru nodded as he began to walk towards the temple's entrance, "follow me."

It had been quite a long time since the Sage of Light had performed the ritual. Ordering the Demon King to strip himself of his armor and clothing, he began to anoint him in oils. The Gerudo stood still as the elderly sage painted sacred symbols onto various parts of his body, whispering enchantments as he worked methodically. Rauru could not help but notice that even in the nude, the Demon King was still an imposing presence. He imagined that even if the Gerudo chose to wage war in nothing but his bare skin, he would still strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.

The sage beckoned the Gerudo to lower his head, his last enchantment passing his lips as he applied a final line of paint across the Demon King's forehead. Rauru observed him for a moment, his mane of red bowed before him, as the reality of the situation began to truly catch up with him. Ganondorf was quite serious with going through with this. His conviction to live by his own law outshone every other accomplishment he had gained throughout his life.

"Well sage, are you going to leave me like this all day?" the Gerudo interjected, an amused smirk on his lips, "I know I am rather endearing to look at." Rauru huffed as he realized he had been staring at the Gerudo's chest as he was lost in thought, and felt a slight blush reach his cheeks. He turned around and began walking towards the back of the temple.

"Do not flatter yourself so much Ganondorf. Now, please come this way."

The sage led the Demon King through the winding tunnels in the bowels of the temple, threading its ancient walls from mere memory as he had walked them numerous times. Ganondorf silently trailed behind him, their breathing the only sound echoing throughout the halls. As they approached the deepest chamber within the temple, the sage could feel a heavy presence bearing upon him. The threads of fate were vibrating, a tremor running through the fabric of time that the Gods had carefully laid down. He could hear the Gerudo slowing down behind him, suspecting that he too could sense that a major shift in destiny was occurring. Ancient eyes slightly widened in awe, Rauru pressed onward until they reached the fountain housed deep within the Temple of Light.

"So this is the Great Fairy fountain spoken of in legend…" Ganondorf said quietly. The sage could see a certain reverence reflected in his amber irises as he took in the shimmering chamber, the fountain's water as white as milk. After all, the Gerudo did have a deep respect for historical sites and artifacts. A shiver ran up the Demon King's spine as he could already feel the powerful magic of light and healing slowly seeping into his skin fighting the darkness that had been imbued within him for centuries. His gaze fell upon the water, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he could only imagine what would happen to his body once he entered the fountain.

"Having second thoughts Demon King?" Rauru inquired as he stared out into the waters, the glimmering light within the fountain giving the water's surface a polished look. A small laugh escaped the Gerudo as he walked towards the fountain, stopping just as its waters began to lap at his bare feet. He stretched his arms out, eyes pensive as his gaze wandered beyond that of the fountain, beyond this realm even.

"I suppose it is a thing that frightens us all," Ganondorf said quietly. "Up until now, I always knew that, even in defeat, I would return. Now, however, may be my last time."

The sage could not help but agree with the Demon King. His own life had been long, having been guardian of this temple far longer than Ganondorf had been alive, even further back than when Demise and Hylia had walked the earth. However, he knew deep in his mind that the mortal plane was indeed mortal. One day, even if it took a millennia, he would eventually find oblivion. He supposed the apprehension of the unknown that came after life was one that plagued them all, even a man as powerful as the Demon King himself.

"At least you will meet your end on your own terms, if that is the case Ganondorf," the elderly sage remarked. Ganondorf remained silent, eyes still deep in contemplation as he continued to stare across the still, pristine water.

"My Second, when I had been the King of the ancient Gerudo…."he trailed off as his eyelids fluttered close in his remembrance, "she had warned me then that pursuing the Triforce would bring about the destruction of my tribe and, eventually, myself." Pain and sorrow laced his face for a mere moment before his features relaxed, his amber orbs opening as he turned towards the sage. "Her first premonition came to fruition; perhaps now will be my time."

With a final nod, the ancient Gerudo King turned towards the fountain. Inhaling deeply, he stood still for a single moment before taking a step into the fountain, and then yet another. Rauru watched in awe and disbelief as the world around him shook, fate being rattled at its roots. The elderly sage could swear that he could hear the pens of destiny being lifted, Hyrule's future being rewritten by the actions taken by one, pivotal man.

The heavens and the earth held their breath along with the sage as a new future for the Demon King of old was forged.


End file.
